The love affair with smartphones

It is fair to say that most of us would struggle without our smartphone – these nifty devices are now just one of those things that have become so ingrained in the very fabric of our life.

Intrigued by this change, BuzzFeed decided go dig deeper and explore how “addicted” people are to their smartphones. The results are intriguing to say the least and we briefly look at some of the highlights.

One of the most startling findings is that 40 per cent of respondents look at their phone every few minutes. They simply cannot stop – even if they don’t get any messages, or updates, it is clear, this is a habit that we struggle to give up.

The same exact number said they looked at their device more than ten times a day, explaining that they are “glued” to their smartphone. It’s intriguing to know how they would cope if they were required to put their phones away.

Which bring us nicely to the next point. When asked how they felt when they accidentally left their beloved device at home, 51 per cent of respondents replied “mild panic, but I get over it”.

For 33 per cent of people, they felt really upset, as if they are “missing a limb”. Interestingly, ten per cent said they were fine, saying they “survived for years before they existed”.

“The majority of responders also admitted to wanting to spend less time on their phones,” BuzzFeed noted.

“And a lot of responders — 90 per cent to be exact — have at least sometimes experienced the ultimate device trifecta of using a computer, phone, and TV all at once.”

Finally, 54 per cent of people responding to the poll said they were unsure about whether their smartphone usage had impacted on their happiness. They explained that they enjoy the benefits, but admitted they wished they used their devices less.